Autoblog

1. Condolences to Geoffs family. He was a smart and energetic man who will be sorely missed by the automotive community.

Posted at 8:24AM on Apr 21st 2008 by Smeagle

2. Sad day for the Australian Motoring Industry

a.

Posted at 8:43AM on Apr 21st 2008 by alaero

3. He did a heck of a lot for Ford Australia and is remembered fondly as the best President Ford Australia ever had. If he had continued in that post I have no doubt the last few years would have been more successful for them. Anyone in that posting now walks in his shadow.

He also did a fantastic job with his stewardship of Jaguar and Land Rover.

Condolences to his family and friends.

Dan

Posted at 9:19AM on Apr 21st 2008 by Daniel Dacey

4. Thanks for the compliment buddy! I hope you have a nice day in your little monk's cubicle! Remember to pray for four hours before you go to sleep tonight...

Posted at 12:24PM on Apr 21st 2008 by Gargamello

5. Most despicable comments ever. How low of a human being are you?

Posted at 12:46PM on Apr 21st 2008 by Rodion

6. @ Gargamello,
Since when has the XF been an 'ugly' car? I thought it was doing pretty well with over 10,000 pre-orders and all the good reviews from various sites.

Posted at 3:35PM on Apr 21st 2008 by Sen

7. Just because rich people buy a car doesn't mean it's not ugly.

Ever heard of a Porsche Cayenne? A Mercedes 1998 through 2006? A Subaru?

I haven't seen any published sales numbers myself, but are you suggesting Jaguar is going to turn a profit any time in the next five years? Because it's just not going to happen.

Posted at 1:25AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Gargamello

8. You know, i go often without leaving comments on autoblog, and check for new posts close to 3 times a day for nearly two years. But seriously gargamello- really not an appropriate comment. The rudest comment i have ever read, you don't speak ill of the dead no matter what your opinion. Jaguar and Land Rover haven't been the blushing success that is entitled to them. Either way, the man did his job, was dedicated and should be remembered for it. Not cursed by some socially inept invalid as yourself. Have some compassion you sodding git.

Posted at 1:11AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Icuguyz

9. Well first of all I can't understand half of what you said there because it's not correct English.

And secondly grow a sense of humor you uptight priggish wanker. You're the one who's devoid of social graces - in the words of the great English writer Oscar Wilde, a man with more flair than you'll ever possess:

"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."

Posted at 1:21AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Gargamello

10. I don't even understand why you tools are defending this man so fervently. Logically any member of Jaguar management of the past twenty years has some serious explaining to do for running the company so badly. Can you honestly say that Jaguar has been run well? Really? Wasn't it bought and sold multiple times after years of losing money? I don't understand how you could defend such clear financial failure, unless you are middle management peons desperately clinging to some fading tatters of self worth. If that's so, get over it. It was not a well run company, and still isn't.

Posted at 1:32AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Gargamello

11. Ok, sure, he made some bad decisions at jaguar and I'm sure he regretted that. However, making a joke about someone's death is never funny. Autoblog made this thread to remember him, not to criticize him.

And yes, I have heard of those cars. You say them as if I've been living under a rock for these past years.
I thought the 'new' S class which I think was produced from 2005 was a handsome car, and I think the same of the Jag XF. It is a handsome car - pretty but not beautiful. And what car do you own?

Posted at 4:16AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Sen

12. Geoff was only at the helm of Jaguar Land rover for a couple of years. It takes time to turn a company around and the first steps towards that have been taken with the XF. Regardless of your opinion of the car, there is a huge increase in customers ready to put down deposits for an XF and that speaks volumes about it's appeal.
He will be remembered for many achievements in the Automotive field not least of which being his time at Ford Australia. All those Hi performance Aussie Fords everyone keeps drooling over, Polites had a hand in them.
Bottom line, this is a post about Geoff Polites and a chance for us to pay our respects to a great man who had a positive effect on the automotive industry. Your comments are highly inappropriate and I suggest you show some respect and keep your worthless opinions to yourself from now on.

Posted at 5:03AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Smeagle

13. Ok this is why I stopped reading Autoblog and responding to comments here. Because it's just a huge waste of time. Obviously I was trying to be humorous and didn't mean any specific harm. But I'm going to stop posting here and reading this blog because it's just not worth it, if the quality of the responses here is going to be so low, so torpid and hebetudinous.

So I apologize if I offended your delicate sensibilities, have a good day sipping your weak Earl Grey tea and quietly philosphizing about the long gone good old days of merry old Victorian England or whatever the heck it is you do with yourself.

Posted at 8:57AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Gargamello

14. Oscar Wilde was Irish. Geoff Polites seemed like a good bloke. A champion in life.

Posted at 6:02AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by rex

15. If it wasn't for Polites, Ford Australia would not be here today...

Posted at 9:17AM on Apr 22nd 2008 by Joh